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Our take: White roses and thorns

York Daily Record editorial

Updated:
02/14/2014 12:22:14 PM EST

Gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf, left, looks at printing with a loop with Coni Wolf, VP of business development for York Container in Springettsbury Township Jan. 28 during a tour of the factory. (Paul Kuehnel - Daily Record/Sunday News)

ROSES >> To the Pennsylvania Democratic Party for deciding to have an "open primary" — not endorsing any of the candidates. During voting last week, none of the candidates reached the two-thirds threshold necessary to win a party endorsement. That gives York countian Tom Wolf a better chance at winning the nomination if this "outsider" candidate doesn't have to contend with a party-backed insider.

ROSES >> To Tom Wolf for releasing a thorough position statement document last week — "Fresh Start Plan for Pennsylvania's Future." He's calling, among many other smart initiatives, for campaign finance limits in Pennsylvania — as we suggested in a recent editorial. He proposes a limit of $5,000 — a lot less than the $1 million he recently received from local supporter Tim Grumbacher.

ROSES >> To Fairview Elementary school students for raising $5,000 to fight pediatric cancer. Students recently celebrated the effort by popping water balloons over the head of Principal Julie Dougherty.

ROSES >> To Yoe Fire Chief Scott Cain for his health transformation. A year ago he was overweight and a heavy smoker. He had a heart attack, survived and decided to change his life — losing weight, quitting smoking, etc. And most impressive: He's working to encourage his fellow firefighters to get in shape as well.

ROSES >> To Mike Myers for quick thinking that helped save the life of his wife Frances when her clothes were ignited by a propane heater they were using during a power outage. He quickly got her to stop, drop and roll to put out the flames.

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ROSES >> To the York County chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart for honoring veterans at its recent banquet.

ROSES >> To Ed Van Wicklen for creating an oil painting of the Veteran Gold Star Healing and Peace Garden in York to be raffled off at the PA Garden Show Feb. 28 through March 2.

ROSES >> To York city firefighters for quick resolution of a mishap where a 9-year-old boy accidentally locked himself in a gun safe at Tractor Supply. He was quickly freed from the safe with no injury.

ROSES >> To the state Public Utility Commission for launching an investigation into the long power outages experienced by many in York County after the ice storm. Power crews worked long, hard hours, and their efforts were greatly appreciated. But such due diligence is an important function of the PUC.

THORNS >> To PECO for taking about a week to fix a live wire that the ice storm brought down in the 100 block of Griffith Road, Peach Bottom Township — trapping residents, who could not cross the wire in their driveway.

THORNS >> To county departments for having inconsistent policies over pay for workers during the ice storm. The courts and some row offices closed, sending workers home. But other county workers — such as public defenders — were docked paid time off if they didn't come in. County solicitor Michael Flannelly said treating the workers differently was unfair.

ROSES >> To the York County Solid Waste Authority for its successful collection program of unused and expired medicine. It has collected 1.2 tons since November 2012.

ROSES >> To local high school teams participating in the Pennsylvania Bar Association's mock trial competition.

ROSES >> To Voith Turbo of Manchester Township for earning a Governor's Award for Safety Excellence. The company went 866 days without a lost-time injury.

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